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I think Einarson has finally powered up a team that can confront & over-power Jones a significant portion of their meetings.

Bringing Val Sweeting aboard was a stroke of genius. Val was a loveable loser (at the highest levels) but playing 3rd for Kerri might be her natural spot. Probably the only 3rd in Canada who can torment Kaitlyn Lawes as much as Kaitlyn torments her.

2nd is too close to call. Birchard is now a proven performer, still young, whereas Peterman can stand up to just about anyone in the game.

Only at lead does Jones have a slight advantage - no one is better than Dawn, no one, certainly that includes Meilleur.

Skip is fascinating - Jones legacy is very intimidating, it certainly was to Einarson for several years. Now, armed with an impactful squad she'll not only hold her own with Jones - she might be consistently better. Einarson usually hits the stick on her hits and draws. Jones has been getting more wayward the last couple years - no longer capable of those JJ-blockbuster shots which brought her team to the top of the game.

Having won her last three events this season, Einarson was on a high coming into the Autumn Gold. Her first three games in this event were walkovers; she lost only a total of four points.

Then, in draw 7, she met Walker and her new team of veterans. Everything was going fine until the 6th end when Walker hit her with a 4 in the sixth end and then followed that up with 3 in the final end.

Einarson has herself a very powerful team. Her front of Meilleur & Birchard might be the best young front end in the game.

Val Sweeting should be able to stand up and return shot-pelting fire from Emma Miskew.

The difference - Rachel is still a more consistent performer than Kerri. Don't get me wrong - Kerri has come a long way from being Manitoba's top-rated team (after Jones). Now she's a force onto herself - and if she somehow ratchets up her consistency she'll surpass Jones this season - and present herself as the top co-threat to Queen Rachel - along with Alberta's C. Schiedegger!

A real war of attrition at the Autumn Gold - the tournament that refuses to end . . .

Jones managed to slither by her arch-nemesis Chelsea Carey in an erratic affair that saw a late-ends trade of 3's.

For her efforts JJ gets #1 seeded (for this tourney) Laura Walker - who seems to be gradually growing her skipping wings, prodded on by her group of vets.

Only surprise - is Jamie Sinclair not making the championship round. Sinclair looked like a monster towards the end of last season - the #1 USA team to be sure.

If Walker can keep her mojo up and sustain her level of play - she should be able to subdue the now too-often erratic Jones.

The feature though in my mind, no doubt is Kerri Einarson vs. Casey Scheidegger, which could easily be a peek into 2 of the final 4 teams at this year's STOH. I'll put my coin on Casey in this one - she's fluid with the same team - Kerri still getting used to new charges!

While I've never really paid much attention to the US women's curling scene, Sinclair's impressive rise last year to number 9 in the OOM's world rankings did pique my interest.

To date this season, however, Sinclair has had a troublesome start, failing to reach the playoffs in the Elite 10 and losing in the QF's of the Shorty Jenkins. And yesterday everything kept unravelling when she was eliminated from the Autumn Classic prior to the playoffs. The team must be disappointed - and concerned.

Actually the early setbacks should not be a surprise to anybody. Last year Vicky Persinger, her 2nd , was the Lynchpin of Sinclair's rink. I was expecting/hoping she would be "promoted" to Sinclair's 3rd this year and was reasonably certain this would enable the team to continue its upward climb on the OOM ladder.

But this did not happen. Instead they/somebody - I don't know who - decided it would be okay if Sinclair's best player was removed from the team altogether ! ! ! Subsequently it was announced that Persinger would become Christensen's 3rd for the 2018/19 season.

This change never made a whole lot of sense to me or a lot of other folks, and it still doesn't; but perhaps it will as the season progresses. We shall see.

Team Einarson is truly a team full of joy. No one expresses joy more than Val Sweeting - who's been denied various canadian chances over the years. Feel great for Val - welcome to Manitoba, Miss Valberta!!!

Einarson has gradually developed a killer instinct - not quite on par with Rachel Homan - but thats a different kettle of fish.

Front end is superb - potential to be the best in the game.

Only minor mustard stain in the plot is Kerri's sustainable consistency. She'll drop games out of the blue - where she puts up a bad number (ie. 55 to 68, etc.)

Einarson is as good a shooter in the game as their is - right up there with Homan & Anna Hasselborg, Eve Muirhead. Just doesn't have the experience at the world level - YET.

Looking back at the draw for the teams in the Autumn Gold Classic and specifically the paths that Homan, Einarson and Jones each took to reach the QF's/Playoffs, I'd like to know how the ranking system was used by the event officials to ensure the draw would be "balanced".

I've noticed discrepancies in the past as well. Sometimes it's the draw being made up too far in advance that doesn't properly reflect the up to date rankings. I've also noticed draws made up to absolutely give the local teams the advantage to advance. And, I've seen draws that make no sense at all as if they were drawn from a hat. Maybe there should be a set format for all spiels to follow the same guidelines to make every spiel rankings for the draw as equal as possible. I see no reason to give an unfair advantage to the so-called favourites, or local hopefuls. I know sometimes draws have to be made up in advance for travel arrangements, but, make the draw and advise the teams the time slot but not the opponent until the points are updated.

quote:Originally posted by IN-OFF-FOR-2 I've noticed discrepancies in the past as well. Sometimes it's the draw being made up too far in advance that doesn't properly reflect the up to date rankings. I've also noticed draws made up to absolutely give the local teams the advantage to advance. And, I've seen draws that make no sense at all as if they were drawn from a hat. Maybe there should be a set format for all spiels to follow the same guidelines to make every spiel rankings for the draw as equal as possible. I see no reason to give an unfair advantage to the so-called favourites, or local hopefuls. I know sometimes draws have to be made up in advance for travel arrangements, but, make the draw and advise the teams the time slot but not the opponent until the points are updated.

I've wondered about this, for other spiels as well, namely some of the GSOC events have headscratching draws.

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